On April 7, 2003, in Oakland, California, United States, an anti-war protest occurred at the Port of Oakland. The non-violent protest was organized by Direct Action to Stop the War, a Bay Area peace group, which was protesting against American President Lines, alleging the company shipped arms and supplies for the U.S. military and was profiting from the war on Iraq.^[1]

The police fired wooden dowels projectiles, sting balls, concussion grenades, tear gas and other less-lethal weapons when protesters at the gates of two shipping lines at the port refused an order to disperse. Longshoremen and protestors were injured in the exchange.^[2]

The next month after the incident, on May 13, Direct Action to Stop the War again led a march of anti-war activists and community leaders from the West Oakland BART Station to five port gates, and the event remained peaceful.^[3][4]

Criminal charges against 24 activists and one longshoreman were brought and later dropped, and in February, 2005 the Oakland City Council paid $154,000 to 24 people who claimed they were hurt in the demonstration.^[5] In 2006, The New York Times reported upon an over $2 million settlement for "dozens of payouts" stemming from the incident, the reported size of the awards from the City ranging from $5,000 to $500,000.^[6]

This report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) describes how 40 protesters, dock workers, and bystanders at an anti-war protest at the Port of Oakland were injured and sued the city of Oakland for “excessive force” by police. The police used wooden bullets, stun grenades, and “filler bullets” against the crowd, causing serious injuries.^[7]

A May 2003 People's World article describes a regrouping of over a thousand people after the initial protest, demanding the right to protest and an end to police brutality. It is noted that the police used violence against protesters and laborers, and that community groups and labor unions were present.^[8]

This source explains that after the protests, Auckland City Council established an independent police conduct review panel to investigate the violence used against protesters and workers. This source shows that public pressure led to efforts to hold police accountable and investigate police violence.^[9]

A document from the ILWU (International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union) discusses the state of the protest, the police response, and the cooperation of the trucking companies with the police to stop the protests. It shows that parts of the protest were supported by the labor union and that labor tensions played a significant role in the event.^[10]

A news report from SFGate says dozens of people were injured at the April 7 protest, police used tear gas and various projectiles, and at least 31 people were arrested. These were the largest protests against the Iraq War in the San Francisco Bay Area.^[11]

The Port of Oakland War Protest began as a peaceful demonstration on April 7, 2003, where about 500 anti-war activists, labor unions, and members of the group "Direct Action to Stop the War" gathered in front of the entrances of American companies such as American President Lines (APL) and Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) to denounce their role in shipping war materials to American forces in Iraq. The rally was intended to put public pressure on companies that benefited from government contracts to support the war.^[12]

In response to the peaceful demonstration, Oakland police used an array of “less-lethal” weapons, including “sting-ball” packages filled with rubber bullets, wooden bullets, and stun grenades, and fired rapidly at protesters, injuring scores of protesters and several dock workers. The response was so severe that human rights unions and civic groups described it as a “provocation.”^[13]

Following the police brutality on April 7, Oakland community and labor groups responded, holding larger demonstrations and rallies in late April and early May to demand an investigation and accountability for police use of excessive force. Hundreds of people attended city council meetings and called for an independent investigation into the incident.^[14]

Following the violence, civil rights groups including the ACLU and the National Lawyers Guild, on behalf of a number of protesters, legal observers, journalists, and port workers, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Oakland and its police department. The lawsuit alleged that the police’s use of force against peaceful protesters was a clear violation of the First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly.^[15]